--> Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from March 23, 2020


Ahamkara In Hinduism

Ahamkara in Hinduism is the shape that self takes. It is the principle of individuation developed out of buddhi. According to Samkhya, the development of the process of evolution follows a law of succession. Here, mahat (the great) is the first product of evolution of prakriti. It is the basis of buddhi (intelligence) of the individual. Mahat brings out the cosmic aspect, and buddhi, the psychological counterpart of mahat in the individual. Buddhi is the subtle substance of all mental processes. Ahamkara is the I-ness which gives rise to different kinds of evolutes, according to the dominance of sattva or tamas. The set of eleven attributes abounding in sattva evolves out of vaikrta form of the I-principle; a set of rudimentary substances from bhutadi form of the I-principle; and both of them form the taijasa form of the I-principle. When ahamkara is dominated by sattva attitude, it is called vaikrta. Ahamkara, according to advaita Vedanta, is I-hood, egotism and spiritual ig

Teachings From King Janaka And Suka Discussion

Sage Vyasa sends his son Suka to learn about Moksha from King Janaka. The teachings of King Janaka and Suka are found in the Mahabharata and the Puranas. Janaka said: “To get the state of emancipation (moksha or liberation), a man should order his life and live gradually and progressively through the four stages of life (Ashramas) – Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and finally Sannyasa (Brahmasharma) – discharging the duties of every stage. At this point Suka intervened and asked – “If knowledge which is essential for the state of emancipation arises in a man’s mind, is it still necessary for him to live through all the customary Ashramas of life? Janaka replied – the traditional religious code of the four ashramas is meant to preserve the uninterrupted continuity of society and of activities essential to it. One whose mind has become purified can attain the state of emancipation even in his youth in this first ashrama i.e. stage of life. For him the remaining three